“I fought smart,” he told the Sherdog
Radio Network’s “Beatdown” show. “I controlled the distance
using my jab. I set up my right hand. I set up a bunch of kicks. …
I didn’t get injured at all. I took no damage whatsoever. I’m in my
gym right now as we speak, getting ready to teach a class at 4 and
start training at 5.”

Since he’s not nursing any injuries, Torres said he’s ready to go
again. He’s hoping to fight on the January UFC card expected to
take place in Chicago, or if not there, then soon after. The quick
turnaround is another benefit resulting from a change in his style.
Gone are the days of reckless aggression. Now Torres uses a
tactical approach, which has developed from his work with trainer
Firas Zahabi.

“The first thing he told me was, ‘You’re the kind of guy that I can
see is worrying about everybody else but himself. You’re trying to
make everybody happy but yourself,’” Torres said. “He goes, ‘You
have a daughter. You have a wife. You’ve got to be smart. You’ve
got to do what is best for your family. You being busted up at 35
and not having any prospects is not going to make you a good
father. You’ve got to be smart. You’ve got to look out for your
career and you’ve got to get paid at the same time.’”

The advice resonated.

“It hit my heart real hard because he was totally right,” Torres
said. “He was totally right about the situation.”

With that said, Torres doesn’t consider his new style conservative
or defense-oriented. He’s still looking for knockouts and
submissions, and for sure he mounted plenty of offense against
Pace, but he wasn’t going to take a big risk and run into a right
hand either.

“I have a limited window to be able to be a great fighter and to be
a champion,” Torres said. “I feel like I haven’t even reached my
peak yet. I’m still working out my style and finding that balance
of being ultra aggressive and being conservative, finding that
middle balance.”